It was a weekend of big political theatre, as both National and Labour officially launched their election campaigns. 

Christopher Luxon and his National crew pushed the message of “no new taxes” ... meanwhile, Labour and Chris Hipkins unveiled a new policy to wipe 10% of student loan debt. 

But in the lead up to Election 2026, it’s not just the big parties fighting for our attention. 

So what actually makes a political campaign work? What makes a slogan, a speech, an image or a campaign ad stick in voters’ minds – and what can make a campaign fall flat? 

Today on The Front Page, University of Auckland Marketing professor Bodo Lang is with us to break down the campaign launches, the strategies behind them, and what the parties are getting right – and getting wrong.

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You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network.

Host: Chelsea Daniels
Editor/Producer: Richard Martin
Producer: Jane Yee